The funny thing about the DeSean Jackson Instagram saga is that I’m willing to bet that most people under the age of 35 don’t know a single thing about Louis Farrakhan or the Nation of Islam.

For the typical suburban white Philadelphia kid, our introduction to the NOI was probably the Wu Tang Clan, since white kids loved the Wu and they used to rap about topics like the Tribe of Shabazz, which was an ancient black nation that migrated to Africa according to Nation of Islam teachings.

The NOI is an African-American religious and political movement, founded back in the 1930s by a guy named Wallace Muhammad. It’s hard to explain their wonky beliefs in a couple of paragraphs, but it’s an extremist Islam off-shoot that claims to promote the spiritual, social, and economic uplifting of black men and women here in the United States. Malcolm X was prominently involved in the Nation of Islam before his assassination, and Farrakhan has been running the show as a controversial figure since 1977.

A lot of what you’ll hear from Farrakhan is a pro-black message, and that’s what he was sharing on the Fourth of July, in a three-hour speech that DeSean referenced on his Instagram page. The speech itself was not blatantly anti-semitic or homophobic or racist, (though I’ll admit I didn’t watch the entire 180 minutes), but the reason D Jax is getting dragged (in addition to the fake Hitler quote) is because Farrakhan has a history of saying unacceptable things in other comments made over the years.

This speech, specifically, touched on COVID-19, racism, and police brutality in America. It was delivered during a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has become prominent in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, when calls for reform have become more amplified than anything we’ve seen in recent years. Saturday, Farrakhan specifically called on President Trump and other world leaders to atone for their sins, while talking about the current “dissatisfied” climate in this country.

Here’s more of the summary, via Revolt:

Despite what’s in the Declaration of Independence, Farrakhan said America has never been a country by, for, and of the people. “This is a country that was never made with a woman in mind, therefore they had to suffer before voting,” he said. “This country was never made for the slave because they only fashioned us a ⅗ of a human. This country wasn’t made for poor people. It was made for white people of privilege, of scholarship, and who felt they were masters of God’s earth. But, no lesser being deserves that privilege. How did we become lesser beings?”

The minister added that Thomas Jefferson wrote beautiful words in the Declaration of Independence, but his heart wasn’t there to fulfill it. “You can’t say all men are created equal and hold another nation enslaved,” continued Farrakhan. “So, the dog whistle in Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ [really means] ‘Make America White Again.’ That’s why white nationalists are fleeing to his call. The question we have to ask is, ‘Are you a hypocrite, America?’ If you didn’t mean for the black, poor, and woman to enjoy full rights of citizenship, what did you mean?” The leader also warned the powers that be, “You can’t pacify us with a smooth, crooked tongue. We know you. We’ve lived with you over 465 years.”

Farrakhan, in the same speech, also disputed claims of anti-semitism and racism while asking people not to take the Coronavirus vaccine, whenever it becomes available.

But the point here, to DeSean Jackson’s Instagram post, is that Farrakhan was speaking to black men and women with a message of empowerment, one that you probably saw echoed on social media this weekend, the idea that we’re celebrating a country where not everybody is treated equally. This is what DeSean I believe was referencing when he wrote that “Farrakhan spoke facts this morning… you have to listen to the message.” Like I wrote this morning, it’s entirely plausible that Jackson was hearing a pro-black, pro-equality message but maybe wasn’t familiar with Farrakhan’s history of saying absolutely ridiculous shit:

As for the fake Hitler quote, that’s the primary issue with DeSean’s post, the part that’s causing this story to blow up nationally, and that’s what the Eagles are going to have focus on and address today. I have no idea why he dug up that quote, but in regard to the Farrakhan stuff, hopefully this explains why he was posting about him in the first place.

Time’s yours.